Today's Travel Bonus: Finding Joyce!

Sometimes unplanned and unexpected blessings come our way. While planning our route from Torrance to Palm Springs, it struck us how close we might be to Joyce as US-91 took us over the Anaheim Hills. Out came the pocket organizer, a call was made, and in a few hours we were at her door sharing hugs and laughter. She lives within a mile of the freeway we were using.

Joyce was a special and dearly loved member of our Harmony LIFE Group for several years. When she so suddenly disappeared, we were all shocked at how rapidly the planning and execution of her move to California had ocurred. Hardly had we learned of the possibility when her house was sold, her things were shipped or dispersed, and she was "outta there". We missed her deeply.

Joyce is in fine health now, and happy, and in lovely quarters in her son's house, and in the midst of family including plenty of grand-kids to keep track of. She says she still misses everyone (referring to us) but still hasn't recovered from the move because she lost some vital papers including her birth certificate.

She drove us to a restaurant a few miles away and we were able to visit a while over a late brunch. We brought her up to date, and made sure she is doing well too. It was a wonderful hour.

Her message to the whole group is: "I still think of you often. Come to see me if you can." Since her brother still lives in Cascade Park, it is possible we will see her sometime on a visit to see him. Now if Evelyn will distribute her address and phone number, all of us can keep in touch now and then until she comes north again.

In other news today, it was 114 degrees when we arrived in Palm Springs. I heard someone say, they were glad it wasn't too bad today. To which I thought, "Thank Goodness!!"

PS: Dad's surgery on his ear turned out fine, and he isn't in any discomfort. The doctor called in the evening with reassurance that he felt he successfully removed all of this skin cancer. So join us in that Thanksgiving.